“Be encouraged to keep swinging! Don’t give up because you’ve had a fall. Jesus loves you and his Spirit dwells in you. Underneath are his everlasting arms.”
Deuteronomy 33:27
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;
I remember the days when the big circus came to town. The marquee would be erected in the centre of a field, flags and banners and colourful lights adorned. Around the marquee were temporary stables housing horses and donkeys. Swaggering about around the entrance, clowns laughed and joked, entertaining the crowd waiting to enter. But of all the paraphernalia of the circus that fascinated me, it was the high lines and swings of the trapeze act that intrigued me most. I would sit through the show in anticipation of the dexterous high-flying act of the trapeze, usually kept for the grand finale.
We gasp at near-misses, cheer at nimble catches. Higher, faster, swinging from side-to-side meters from the circus ring. Then… a miss… a fall! The crowd gasps and squeals. Yet, underneath is a net. The artist falls into the net, safe and secure, to the relief of everyone in the audience. Then he climbs back up to his swing and continues the act.
The Christian life is like living on a trapeze. The world watches us as we perform life, waiting, and sometimes hoping, for a fall. And when we fall, they watch with glee to see how we recover. Yet, when we slip there is surely a net to catch us in our fall. That net is grace. God’s grace. Grace is God’s doing and God did it when he sent Jesus to die in our place and reconcile us to his goodness. In faith, we grab that swing and fly through life, on show to the world. And when we fall – and fall we will – God’s loving arms are beneath to catch us. His grace is all we need. His grace is sufficient, for when we are weak in our performance, he is strong enough to catch us.
Be encouraged to keep swinging! Don’t give up because you’ve had a fall. Jesus loves you and his Spirit dwells in you. Underneath are his everlasting arms. He will never forsake you. When the world gloats over your fall, take courage that he will catch you by his grace. Then, in faith, rise and climb back up to that swing.
God-tracking is getting back up
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2 Corinthians 5:16-21
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
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Help me to again soar on wings like an eagle
“Oh Lord, I’ve had a fall, again. I admit to my sin and my reckless mistakes. Please forgive me for taking my eyes off you. Thank you so much for your grace that is always there to catch me when I fall. I choose now to rise and, in faith, to climb back up to the place where I was before my fall. Thank you for your loving grace and mercy. Thank you for your faithful forgiveness. Help me to again soar on wings like an eagle. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
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